On the Eve of the New Year

The Morad Family partnered up with the Hertz Family for a visit walking around

the  OC Zoo, a train ride on the Irvine Railroad, and lunch at In-N-Out Burger to

wind down the last hours of 2011. 

The Zoo animals were mesmerizing! 

The scenery was breathtaking! 

The train ride was exciting!

And, the friendship was felt. 

This New Year's Eve was definitely one the best ones yet, because it was spent

with some of our closest friends simply enjoying our families. 

Here's to a wonderful 2012! 

Future In-N-Out worker?

Maybe or maybe not! Regardless, she looks adorable with the hat on!

Can your 1 year old...

Have a sucker??

Why I think...YES!!!

My Koala and Me

I call her my little Koala because she can be found attached to my

hip, my leg, my feet, anything ME really about 90 percent of the day. 

Sure it gets tiring. Sure it is difficult at times to pry her off and teach 

her independence. Sure we are beginning to grow really attached to 

being in close proximity of each other. 

But, truth be told, I love how she has become my little Koala and

I am holding on dearly to these days when she wants me, needs me, 

and calls longly for me. 

Merry Christmas

Christmas night was spent on a Christmas light cruise on Fafa Mike's boat! The girls loved the crisp California night air blowing through their hair, the twinkling lights, spurts of Christmas music, wrestling in the cabin with each other, and the warm hot chocolate Nana made! Definitely the best way to end an awesome Christmas!!

The BIG S

Every year we visit Santa at Knott's, and every year the girls interact with him differently. 

This year the magic of Santa, presents, reindeer, and Christmas are all a whirl in

Giulietta's mind. She sings, talks, and pretty much breathes anything Christmas related.

So, seeing her beaming smile and hearing sweet voice as she sat on Santa's knee was 

no surprise to us. And, to be honest it filled us with the spirit of believing! 

Presley on the other hand could have lived without seeing Santa this year. However,

she has the parents that believe in torturing their children from birth, so getting a few

hysterical pictures of her with Santa was a must! 

After our Santa encounter at Knott's, we continued our visit with some quality

time hanging out with Fafa on the train...

sucking on a peppermint candy cane that Santa gave us...

peacefully and adorably snoozing...

guiding our balloon animals out of the park that Marce so generously

bribed the kids with...

and, making a wish!

Thanks Phee Family for joining us in one of our annual Christmas traditions. 

Old Pictures

I was just weeding through the 1000 plus photos on my phone & found this oldie, but goodie!!





A few striking things caught my attention here!

1. She looks soooo young!
2. Her tongue is BLUE!
3. She can make her tongue grow just like I can!

Thumb Sucker!!

She never wanted a paci, nor a bottle! Her preference was always a breast, until now! But,this little koala has found her thumb and finds a lot of comfort in it!!


It's sweet now, but I hope this habit isn't hard to break! We certainly can't send her thumb to a "thumb fairy!"

One Year Check Up

Presley weighed in at 18.5 lbs & measured up at 29.5 in! Our little koala is as healthy & happy as can be making all her milestones!




Definitely nothing average about this little sweet pea! ;)

Presley is 1!!!

My Dearest Presley,

For the past year everyone who has met you has told me that you were special. 

Special because you are the one of two who made it, special because you were

born in your caul, special because you beat RSV, pneumonia and bilateral ear infections

with flying colors, special because have red hair, special because you tend to smile

at anyone and everything, special because you are wild and feisty, special because you 

do things when you want to, on your own terms and most definitely your own way, 

special because you love music and just can't help yourself to dance or sing along with it, 

special because you are an admirer of your sister and the instigator of trouble, special

because you are a little koala always wanting a snuggle or hip ride, and 

 special because you are a lover of everything and everyone.

All those people are right, my love. You are special, for all of those reasons 

and more.  You have not only brought our family an added amount of love and joy, 

compiled with A LOT more ciaos, but you have brought your special charm, 

your special spunk, and your special smile! And, we wouldn't know what we would 

do with out YOU! 

As you grow up our little sweet P, we wish for you to continue to be

curious, be pensive, be loud, be happy and sad all at the same time, 

be generous, be full of life, be quiet, be wild, be fun, be open, be

sensitive, be perfect, be giddy, be serious, be smart, be free, be special,

and most of all BE YOU! 

Happy Birthday Presley Ella! You are our Love Me Tender! 

With Love,

Momma, Dada & Sister

**Pictures lovingly taken by Molly Marie Williams Photography**

Twinkle Toes

As the summer came to a close and swim lessons began to draw to an end, 

I searched for some other organized activity to put Giulietta in. Seeing how

she was technically only 2, soccer was still not option. So, I decided to enroll

her in Dance. As many of you know, I wasn't much the dancing type when I 

was her age much to my mothers disappointment, and still am not. 

I don't have the grace, the girlyness desire, nor the body, but I figured

I might make a good stage Mom and Giulietta might develop a new passion.

Her first practice made us proud. She listened attentively, smiled proudly, and

moved her feet in an utter disarray. But, with each week she attended she 

listened for the most part, learned, and developed these cute twinkle toes. 

Her first recital, just a few weeks ago left tears in my eyes as I watched my baby 

try to stay on her tape spot and dance her heart out on stage 

 in front of a few hundred other people. I'm not sure if this will be 

Giulietta's "thing," or if she will continue for years and years to come. But, I do 

know that for now she is having fun, she is making us proud, and we can't

wait for her next recital this coming Spring! 

One: A Little Number with Big Meaning

When we think about the happenings to come over a year

it feels like it will take so long, but

when we look back on the happenings during a year 

it feels like just yesterday we were there.

The passing of Presley's first year seems just that. 

Too Quick! 

She was born...I blinked...she turned One! 

So, her first birthday needed to be something special.  

And it was. 

Presley's first birthday was so her!

Pretty...Sophisticated...A dash of Pink...A tad of Elvis

A beautiful, dainty girl with a fiery spirit

The tender moments above were lovingly captured by: 

Molly Marie Williams Photography